The discipline of marketing can often be complex and confusing.
As a marketing veteran, I have seen countless marketing
professionals get hung up on various aspects of marketing which
have little impact on actual marketing results.
Based on my experience, there are four critical elements to an
effective marketing campaign. Whether you're looking to improve
your search engine marketing results, internet marketing, or
marketing in general, be sure to follow these simple guidelines
which I refer to as the A.T.O.M approach.
A.T.O.M - Audience, Timing, Offer, Message
1. Know Your Audience. No one can effectively market,
communicate, or sell without knowing their audience or what
motivates them to buy. Is your potential customer male or
female? Young or old? A first time buyer or frequent purchaser?
Are they the final decision maker? Do they have preferences for
a particular product, service, or delivery method? The more you
know about your audience, the more targeted and relevant your
marketing can be.
2. Timing is Everything. Even with the most convincing
marketing campaign, prospects will have no interest in your
product or service if you aren't communicating to them at the
right time. Be sure your marketing message is in front of
prospects when they're ready to buy. This could be at a
particular time of year or perhaps prior to a life event.
3. Finding the Right Offer. In direct marketing, experts
say that results are 40% dependant on your list, 40% on the
offer, and 20% on your creative. The same is true for internet
marketing, search engine marketing, and the like. Test your
offers and find the one that out performs all the others. This
offer should continually be tested and refined to improve your
results.
4. Its all about the Messaging. If you know your audience
well enough, you should be able to craft a message that
addresses their needs and differentiates your product or service
from the competition. Additionally, be sure to stress benefits
over features. This will give your audience a reason to read,
try, and buy.
The next time you are conducting a marketing campaign, use the
A.T.O.M. approach. Knowing your audience, ensuring that you
reach them when they're ready to buy, experimenting to find the
most productive offer, and communicating to them productively,
are essential for any marketing campaign to deliver results.
About the author:
Michael Fleischner is the founder and President of
MarketingScoop.com - the Internet's biggest and best resource
for marketing professionals. Mr. Fleischner has over 12 years of
professional marketing experience with major consumer and
business brands. He has appeared on major media including the
TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and more. Visit
http://www.marketingscoop.com.
